David Meyers, senior public service associate at the J.W. Fanning Institute for Leadership Development, was honored recently with the Mark Chaffin Award at the 2025 Georgia Conference on Child Abuse Prevention.

The award, named for pioneering researcher and child welfare advocate Dr. Mark Chaffin, honors individuals who demonstrate sustained leadership and collaboration in child abuse prevention by applying research-based strategies, advocating for safe and nurturing environments, motivating diverse stakeholders and securing resources to achieve measurable, positive outcomes for children and families in Georgia. Chaffin’s legacy reflects ethical leadership and a deep dedication to supporting vulnerable children and families, values that Meyers exemplifies every day.

For more than 30 years, Meyers has focused his career on improving outcomes for youth in the child welfare system. At the Fanning Institute, he specializes in youth leadership development, focusing on young people who have experienced foster care or homelessness and the systems that support them. He directs the Embark Georgia Center, which leads a statewide network connecting college campuses to provide resources and support for these youth. The initiative, which launched in 2012, also includes the Embark Precollegiate Summer Program, which builds leadership and college readiness skills for foster youth.

The Embark team also established partnerships that formed the Education and Training Voucher (ETV) program, offering critical financial assistance for higher education. Embark Georgia administers the ETV program through a partnership with the Georgia Department of Family and Children’s Services. The vouchers provide up to $5,000 annually for educational expenses to eligible students. Embark Georgia has spent $10 million on behalf of students using ETV funds, with 500 students receiving ETV support since 2015.

Over the past 10 years, Meyers has secured more than $25 million to support Embark Georgia.

Through these programs, Meyers works at multiple levels to expand access to education and strengthen foster care systems across Georgia, creating pathways to stability, success and self-sufficiency for vulnerable youth.

“This award is a reminder that collaboration matters,” Meyers said. “Every success we’ve had with Embark Georgia comes from working together to ensure that young people have the support they need to thrive. I’m deeply grateful to the entire Embark team for their dedication and creativity that make accomplishments like this possible.”

Meyers’ achievement reflects the broader goal of UGA Public Service and Outreach, which envisions Georgia as a network of vibrant, prosperous communities where leaders of all ages and backgrounds are equipped to drive positive change. The Fanning Institute embodies this vision by strengthening individuals, communities and organizations through leadership development, training and education. Fanning faculty and staff design and deliver programs that empower emerging and existing leaders to address complex challenges and build resilient communities.

The Chaffin award, which began in 2018, is sponsored by Positive Childhood Alliance Georgia, the Georgia Center for Child Advocacy and the Stephanie V. Blank Center for Safe and Healthy Children at Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta.